I Won't Run Away
by Heroic Spectre
Summary: Frisk had spared every monster he encountered, but one refused to give up.


His back to the wall, Frisk stared at the armored monster slowly approaching him. He could feel the vibrations every time the monster took a step. It felt like a giant was walking towards him, but Frisk was not afraid. He continued to stare at the monster's armored face, with defiance in his eyes.

A few yards away, the monster stopped. She returned Frisk's gaze. After a moment of silence, she uttered a single word.

"Seven."

The monster sounded cold, emotionless.

"Seven human souls. With the power of seven human souls, our king… King Asgore Dreemurr… will become a god. With that power, Asgore can finally shatter the barrier. He will finally take the surface back from humanity… And give them back the suffering and pain that we have endured."

For the most part, Frisk felt no hatred for monsters. Even though many of them had tried to kill him, Frisk had shown mercy to every monster he encountered. He had not killed a single one. He even found himself developing a strong affection for the monster race. With the sole exception of a certain flower, Frisk could tell that none of the monsters he had encountered truly had any malice towards him.

Actually, Frisk was face-to-face with one more exception.

"Understand, human?" the monster, Undyne, growled. "This is your only chance at redemption. Give up your soul… or I'll tear it from your body."

Frisk wasn't going to let that happen.

In the monster's hands, a glowing blue spear sprung into existence. Undyne held it with both hands and pointed it straight at Frisk's chest, and then she marched towards him. Frisk slowly moved his hand to his hip and clutched the grip of his toy knife. The piece of plastic didn't seem like much, but Frisk knew that even a weak weapon could easily strike a monster down as long as he had the intent to kill.

Undyne was almost within reach. For the first time, Frisk prepared to…

"Undyne…! I'll help your fight!"

That monster kid leaped out of the bush next to them. They stood in between Frisk and Undyne. The kid was oblivious to the fact that Undyne was trying to kill Frisk. Confused, the kid tried to figure out who Undyne was fighting. The poor kid didn't even realize that Frisk was a human. Frisk supposed it made sense. Monsters were a very diverse race. To them, Frisk probably just looked like another type of monster. A human, on the other hand, would never mistake a monster for part of their own race.

After a long pause, Undyne lowered her spear. She grabbed the monster kid by the ear and dragged them away. Frisk heard the kid beg Undyne not to tell their parents what they had done as their voice faded out into the distance.

 _At least you draw the line at child murder,_ Frisk thought. _Oh, wait._

 _Give her a break, human!_

That… was a voice in Frisk's head. Frisk started hearing it when he arrived at the place the monsters referred to as the 'Ruins.' The voice refused to tell Frisk her name… or anything about herself, really. Frisk didn't feel the need to tell the voice his name, either. Frisk decided to give the voice a new name. He named the voice… Voice. Voice, in turn, simply addressed Frisk as 'human.'

All Frisk knew about Voice was that she didn't want him to hurt any monsters, and that she _really_ didn't trust humans. Frisk figured that Voice was some kind of monster spirit, perhaps like Napstablook. Although, Frisk wasn't sure why Voice decided to hitch a ride in his head, other than to verbally defend every single monster who attacked him. Voice always had some kind of explanation as to why monsters attacked Frisk, and it seemed that Undyne was no exception.

 _Your kind has brought monsters nothing but pain!_ Voice hissed. _The humans have confined these monsters here for MILLENNIA! For thousands of years, they have been left to rot in this cursed place! Can you blame Undyne, for wanting to let the humans feel all the suffering they have inflicted?_

 _With my soul, Asgore will become a god,_ Frisk responded. _He will have the power to destroy all of humanity. Nothing justifies the destruction of an entire race. I don't know how many humans have already been killed, but I won't let Undyne or Asgore hurt anyone else._

 _And I shall not allow you to harm any of my people!_

What could Voice do about it? She had no control over him, at least… as far as Frisk knew.

Frisk tried to reassure his companion. _Hey, I don't want to hurt anyone, but… Undyne might not give me a choice. I don't know if I'll be able to talk Undyne down like I've done with everyone else. Letting her take my soul… that's not an option._

Frisk could sense Voice's frustration, but she did not argue further.

Frisk kept moving through the region the monsters called 'Waterfall.' Along the dark blue pathways, Frisk walked past more echo flowers. They were relaying a passing conversation about a monster's wish.

"Hmm… if I say my wish, you promise you won't laugh at me?"

"Of course I won't laugh!"

"Someday, I'd like to climb this mountain we're all buried under. Standing under the sky, looking at the world all around… That's my wish."

"Haha!"

"Hey, you said you wouldn't laugh at it!"

"Sorry, it's just funny… That's my wish, too."

… _Hey,_ Frisk told his companion. _I... I know how much your kind wants to leave this place, and I wish there was something I could do to help. But I can't let Asgore have my soul. Maybe outside… I can find another way to save all of you._

Voice laughed bitterly. _The humans will never help. You read those plaques. The humans sealed the monsters away because they feared them. They could not tolerate the possibility of a monster obtaining human souls… Just like you._

 _This is different! Asgore is actually trying to destroy humanity!_

… _Yeah._ Voice sounded… despondent. _I… cannot believe he's doing this…_

… _Did you know Asgore?_

… _You could say that._

Frisk almost smiled. That was the first glimpse of her past that Voice had given Frisk. _Really? You knew the King? What was he like?_

 _He was… very kind. He was one of the most compassionate people I had ever met… not that there was much competition there. Back when I… knew him, he never would have contemplated hurting anyone innocent, regardless of whether they were human or monster._

Frisk was getting the impression that Voice's past wasn't particularly happy, and her description of Asgore did not sound like someone willing to murder seven humans, much less _all of them_.

 _Voice… do you… know what happened to make Asgore… you know?_

Voice did not give a response. Frisk knew better than to pry. He felt like he was slowly gaining Voice's trust. He didn't want to ruin it.

 _Alright,_ Frisk calmly told his companion. _Let's keep moving._

 _Agreed._

Frisk continued along the path and came across a narrow bridge… a perfect place for an ambush. Frisk cautiously walked across it. As he neared the end, he heard a familiar voice call out to him.

"Yo!" the monster kid cried. They walked towards Frisk, a bit nervously. They scanned their eyes up and down Frisk's body, as if they weren't sure what they were looking at. "…Man, I've never had to ask anyone this before, but… umm… Yo… you're human, right?"

They finally figured it out. Not sure what to expect, Frisk nodded.

"Yeah," the monster kid said. "Undyne told me, um, 'stay away from that human. So, like, umm… I guess that makes us enemies or something, but I kinda stink at that, haha."

Frisk shook his head and gave the kid a friendly smile. "No, I don't mean you any harm."

"Yo! Say something mean so I can hate you! Please?"

"What? No…!"

"Yo, what? So I have to do it? Here goes nothing..." The kid took a deep breath. "Yo, I... I hate your guts… Man, I... I'm such a turd. I'm... I'm gonna go home now." They turned and began to walk away.

 _Poor kid_ , Frisk thought.

Suddenly, the monster kid tripped and fell off the bridge. Frisk and Voice both gasped as soon as they saw it. Fortunately, the armless monster managed to hold on by biting into the edge of the bridge.

 _HUMAN! SAVE THEM!_ Voice screamed.

Frisk started to move, but then Undyne came running to the other side of the bridge. She stopped when she saw the monster kid, but then she stared at Frisk. She looked like she didn't know what to do.

For Frisk, it wasn't a question. Frisk forgot all about his personal safety and the threat of having his soul taken. He ignored Undyne and ran straight to the monster kid. He grabbed them by the spikes on their head and helped them back onto the bridge. After getting back on their feet, the monster kid stood in between Undyne and Frisk. The monster kid faced Undyne, looking both scared and courageous at the same time.

"Y... y... yo... dude... If... if y-you wanna hurt my friend... You're gonna have to get through me, first."

Undyne slowly backed away. Eventually, she turned back and left, but Frisk knew that she would find him again soon.

"She's gone..." the monster kid muttered. "Yo, you really saved my skin. Guess being enemies was just a nice thought, haha. We'll just have to be friends instead. Man, I should REALLY go home... I bet my parents are worried sick about me! Later, dude!"

Frisk smiled and waved as the monster kid left. "Umm… later! Stay safe, okay?"

The monster kid ran out of sight. Frisk sighed in relief. Thank God they were okay.

 _Undyne would have saved them,_ Voice insisted.

 _She was certainly taking her time._

… _You still don't think you can spare her._

 _I will try. I don't want to fight her, but… I can't make any promises here._

Frisk finally walked across the bridge and continued traveling through Waterfall. As Frisk had predicted, it wasn't long until Undyne blocked his path once more. Frisk looked up and saw her standing on top of a massive crag. She stared down at him.

"Seven. Seven human souls, and King Asgore will become a god. Six. That's how many we have collected thus far."

 _Damn it!_ Frisk cursed. _They just need one more. If they get my soul… they WON'T get my soul!_

"Understand? Through your seventh and final soul, this world will be transformed."

'This world will be transformed.' Frisk REALLY didn't like the sound of that.

"First, however," Undyne continued. "As is customary for those who make it this far... I shall tell you the tragic tale of our people. It all started, long ago..."

After a brief pause, Undyne's cold demeanor swiftly gave way to a more… energetic personality.

"...No, you know what? SCREW IT! WHY SHOULD I TELL THAT STORY, WHEN YOU'RE ABOUT TO DIE!? NGAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Frisk grimaced and covered his ears.

Undyne ripped her helmet off, revealing the blue head of some kind of fish monster. Frisk noticed that one of her eyes was covered by an eyepatch. Frisk wondered what happened to it. Had she fought someone before? Had she… killed someone before? Frisk hoped it was just from some kind of accident.

"YOU!" Undyne screamed at the top of her lungs. "You're standing in the way of everybody's hopes and dreams! Alphys's history books made me think humans were cool... with their giant robots and flowery swordswomen."

 _Uh… what?_

 _Oh, does she mean…_ Voice started giggling in Frisk's head.

After that… interesting comment, Undyne called Frisk out for being a coward. She claimed that Frisk hid behind the monster kid just to get away from her. Undyne then proceeded to mock Frisk's 'wimpy goody-two-shoes-sjtick.' "Oooh! I'm making such a difference by hugging random strangers! You know what would be more valuable to everyone? IF YOU WERE DEAD!"

How dare she?! Frisk actually _had_ died quite a few times trying to get through the underground without hurting anyone. Didn't Undyne realize how much easier it would have been for him to just cut down every monster in his path? The least Undyne could have done was respect him, instead of trying to demonize him just because he was human.

"That's right, human! Your continued existence is a crime! Your life is-"

"SHUT UP!" Frisk shouted. He couldn't listen to another word of Undyne's attempts to justify genocide. "You don't like humans, I get that! But guess what? I'm not some kind of… creature like you think I am! I saved that kid because it was the right thing to do! And what did you do? You just STOOD THERE! If it weren't for me, you would have let them fall! You're so desperate to label me the 'bad guy,' but you would have let a child, of your own kind, fall down to their death! So tell me, _who's the real bad guy here?!_ "

Undyne paused for a moment, and then she clenched her fists. "…Bad guy or not, your life is all that stands between us and our freedom! Human, let's finish this! Enough running away! En guarde!" She jumped off the high precipice and landed right in front of Frisk. She looked up at Frisk and gave him a menacing smile.

 _Superhero landing? Really?_ Frisk wasn't impressed.

 _She's AWESOME!_ Voice, on the other hand, was fangirling. _Undyne! The heroine that NEVER gives up!_

From within his chest, Frisk's red soul glowed, signaling the start of a fight. Undyne threw a spear at Frisk, but not with the pointy end facing him. Frisk caught it, confused.

"Fuhuhuhu!" Undyne laughed. "I want this to be a fair fight! Before you die, I want you to know how strong monsters can be!"

"So… you've got an ego problem, too?" Frisk sniped.

 _It's called honor, human!_ Voice shot back.

 _Yeah, killing kids is perfectly honorable._

"Sh-shut up, human!" Undyne cast some kind of spell. Frisk's soul changed from red to green, and he felt his legs grow heavy.

"As long as you're GREEN you CAN'T ESCAPE!" Undyne informed him. "Unless you learn to face danger head-on... You won't last a SECOND against ME!"

"That's just fine," Frisk retorted. "I won't run away!"

Undyne summoned more spears and threw them at Frisk, this time with the sharp bits pointed straight at him. Frisk held up his own spear and deflected them. Somehow, the technique came naturally to Frisk.

"Not bad!" Undyne exclaimed. "Then how about THIS!?"

Spears materialized from all around Frisk. Caught off guard, he frantically tried to block them, but it was hard to keep track of his entire surroundings. A spear grazed his side, and he muffled a cry of pain as blood trickled out of the wound it left behind.

As she attacked, Undyne began another monologue. "For years, we've dreamed of a happy ending..."

Frisk blocked a spear on his left.

"And now, sunlight is just within our reach!"

On his right.

"I won't let you snatch it away from us!"

Frisk turned around just in time to block a spear from behind.

 _I must be honest, human,_ Voice said. _I am not certain as to whom I should root for._

 _Umm… the person not trying to destroy an entire species?_

"NGAHHH! Enough warming up!" Undyne's attacks became more extreme. More spears hit Frisk, splattering his blood across the ground. In between attacks, Frisk pulled out a cinnamon bunny and ate it to heal his wounds, but even with the wounds healed, Frisk could still feel the burning pain they left behind.

"U-Undyne, stop!" Frisk pleaded. "I… I don't want to fight you!"

Nothing happened.

The spear in Frisk's hands disappeared, and at the same time, the spell that Undyne had cast wore off. Frisk's soul turned back to its natural color, and he was able to move normally. Undyne launched another volley of spears. Frisk jumped out of the way, with not as much time to spare as he would have liked. His ear rang as a spear flew right by it.

He could barely hear his own voice, but Frisk kept trying to reason with Undyne. "I know humans and monsters once fought, but that was long ago! Please, just stop fighting!"

Undyne laughed. "Mercy! Ha! I still can't believe YOU want to spare ME!"

A spear shot out of the ground and impaled Frisk's leg. He screamed.

"But even if I spared YOU..."

Frisk limped away from the spear aimed at his other leg.

"No human has EVER made it past ASGORE!"

The spear hit his leg anyway. Frisk fell to the ground, crying out in pain.

"Honestly, killing you now is an act of mercy...!"

Frisk's blood was spilling onto the ground he lied on. He pulled out his sea tea and drank it quickly. The wounds on his legs healed instantly. Undyne raised her spear in the air and brought it down towards Frisk's chest. He rolled away just in time.

"NGAHHH! DIE ALREADY, YOU LITTLE BRAT!"

Undyne sprinted at Frisk and tried to skewer him. Frisk dashed out of the way. Undyne turned around and gave Frisk a frustrated glare, her eye twitching involuntarily.

 _Smells like angry fish,_ Voice commented.

 _Uh_ , _yes… Thanks for your input, Voice._

"Ugh! What the hell are humans made of?" Undyne growled.

Frisk looked through her. "Undyne… I just want to be friends."

For just a moment, it looked like Frisk was getting through to her, but then she screamed and smashed her spears on the ground. "I WILL NEVER TAKE MERCY FROM THE LIKES OF YOU!"

"Undyne…"

Undyne violently swung her spear with each word she spoke. "YOU!" Undyne slashed Frisk's right arm. "WILL!" His left shoulder. "NEVER!" The side of his torso. "SPARE!" Right across his chest. "ME!" Undyne thrust her spear forward. The force of the spear's magical energy sent Frisk flying backwards. He lied with his back on the ground, panting. Frisk whimpered in pain and ate a crab apple to heal, but he still felt the pain across his entire body. He couldn't keep this up much longer.

Even Voice was starting to feel sorry for him. _Human…_

Frisk got back up and tried to make one last plea, but Undyne swung her spear at Frisk's neck before he could even get a word in. He bent his neck back and narrowly avoided the attack. He could feel the heat of the magical spear less than an inch from his flesh. Frisk jumped back, and they both took a moment to rest.

Frisk thought back to all monsters he had met earlier. He thought of all the fights he endured, and all the friends he made. Up to this point, Frisk had resolved every conflicted without fighting, but this was his first enemy that truly wanted him dead. Toriel was just trying to protect him. The Snowdin Canine Unit just needed to be convinced that he didn't mean them any harm. Papyrus didn't even know would happen if he captured him. The Mad Dummy just misunderstood him.

But Undyne… she understood exactly what she was doing. She knew that if Asgore got his soul, he would use it to wage war against all of humanity. There was no excuse for that. Undyne had every opportunity to understand that humanity did not deserve to be destroyed. She knew that Frisk had gone through hell to spare every monster in his path. She saw him save the monster kid's life. She apparently had access to human culture, and she even said herself that she thought humans were 'cool.' How could anyone sane justify murdering children and using their souls to commit genocide, knowing that humans are not all that different from themselves? Undyne and Asgore… they had to be stopped, at all costs.

… _Human,_ Voice whispered, not that it was necessary. _Your soul has been returned to normal, and Undyne is no longer blocking the way. You could flee through the cave. Hotland is just ahead. Fish monsters such as Undyne experience great difficulty sustaining themselves in high temperatures. I guarantee that you shall evade Undyne's pursuit with ease._

"…No," Frisk said out loud. Frisk would not flee. That would prove Undyne right. That would prove that he really was a coward. If Frisk could not spare Undyne… there was only one other option.

Frisk looked into Undyne's eye, full of determination. "I WON'T RUN AWAY!"

Frisk lunged at Undyne and slashed his toy knife at her. Undyne deflected the blow and grinned. "So, you DO have a spine!"

Undyne swung her spear to counterattack. Frisk blocked the strike with his knife. Their weapons clashed.

 _Wh-what are you doing?!_ Voice panicked.

Frisk ignored Voice and stared through Undyne. He smiled. "You know, I don't even know why I want to go 'home' so badly."

Frisk made an overhead swing at Undyne. She blocked it.

"Honestly, the surface is not as great as you think."

Frisk made a feint for Undyne's left side. She fell for it. Frisk swiftly shifted his aim and struck Undyne's right side. The plastic knife did not slice through Undyne's armor, but despite this, Undyne howled in pain. As long as Frisk meant it, his attacks would hurt her.

"I don't have a single friend up there. Even my own parents abandoned me. Some of the monsters down here have treated me better than any human ever has."

Frisk stabbed at Undyne's stomach. Again, the knife did not pierce through, but Undyne yelped and recoiled back from another solid hit.

"But unlike you, I don't hold a pointless vendetta against them. Despite everything, I won't let you hurt a single person up there!"

He had the advantage now. Frisk rapidly swung at Undyne from all angles. Undyne struggled to block Frisk's blows, but he was too fast. Undyne sustained blow after blow. She jumped back. Frisk pointed his knife at her and gave her a reproachful stare.

"That kid I saved? They thought you were a hero. Haha, do you think they still think that? When they called for help, who was it that came to their rescue? Who was the one they defended from the other?"

Undyne didn't answer. Frisk swung his knife and landed a blow across Undyne's face, leaving behind a deep gash. The arrogant fish should have kept her helmet on. She clutched her wound and fell to the ground. Frisk stood over her.

"WHO WAS IT?!"

 _HUMAN! STOP!_ Voice cried. _You've made your point, but please! You've beaten her! Show mercy! Just run away!_

 _She won't accept mercy. If I run, she'll just find me again, and if I escape from this place, she might kill some other human. She's too dangerous to leave alive._

 _HUMAN…!_

Frisk raised his knife and plunged it down into Undyne's chest.

It went through.

The wind was howling.

Voice was silent.

Frisk pulled the knife out. It was covered in Undyne's dust. His hands were shaking. _Oh, God. I did it. I just… I just killed someone…_

With the last of her strength, Undyne stood back up. "Ngahhh... You were stronger... than I thought..." Undyne held her head down and closed her eye. "So then... this is where... it ends..."

"…No... NO!" Undyne cried. "I won't die!" She looked back up at Frisk. "Heh, yeah. That kid probably doesn't think very highly of me anymore, but… that's alright. Being a warrior doesn't mean that everyone is going to like me."

Undyne materialized a new spear. "Human… it's not that I WANT to kill you. I don't WANT Asgore to destroy humanity, but what choice does he have? As soon as we get out of here, the humans will kill us. The humans who killed Asriel made THAT perfectly clear. Asgore's plan is the only way we can live on the surface in peace. Alphys... Asgore... Papyrus... Everyone is counting on me to free them!"

Frisk couldn't believe what he was seeing. His eyes widened. How was Undyne still standing? That final attack should have easily been fatal.

… _She is filled with determination,_ Voice stated.

"Now!" Undyne declared. "In the name of everyone's hopes and dreams... I WILL DEFEAT YOU!"

Undyne recast her spell that immobilized Frisk, and a spear from behind stabbed Frisk before he knew it was coming. Trying to ignore the pain, Frisk pulled it out of his back and used it to deflect more spears coming from the left and right. Undyne's attacks were faster than ever. Frisk was struck several more times. Coughing up blood, Frisk ate the quiche that he had found abandoned under a bench. He felt so lightheaded from all the pain and blood loss. His vision was beginning to blur.

"Come on, is that all you've got!?" Undyne shouted. She kept attacking, but she was starting to slow down. Her attacks became slower and slower. Even in his own weak condition, Frisk blocked Undyne's attacks with ease. Her attacks became pitifully slow. Frisk could see Undyne's body starting to… fade away. She didn't look like she would survive for long.

 _Sh-she has negative fifteen defense…_ Voice said with horror.

Frisk still didn't condone Undyne's actions, but seeing her fight to the end for the people she loved… Frisk couldn't bring himself to keep attacking.

Undyne noticed Frisk's growing regret. "Pathetic. You're going to have to try harder than that!" Undyne tried to keep attacking. Frisk didn't even defend himself. He didn't need to. He couldn't even feel Undyne's attacks anymore.

 _She's smiling as if nothing is wrong,_ Voice said somberly.

"S-see how strong we are when we believe in ourselves?"

 _Undyne's body is losing its shape…_

"H...heh... Had enough yet?"

 _Undyne's body…_

"...I won't... Give up..."

Voice went silent.

Undyne's body was a blur. "Ha... ha... Alphys... This is what I was afraid of... This is why I never told you…" Undyne's eye was filled with one last surge of determination. "No... No! Not yet! I won't die! NGAHHHHHHHH!"

"I… I'm s-sorry, Undyne!" Frisk meekly apologized. "Please, just calm down! I can help you!" Frisk held out his last healing item… a slice of butterscotch pie. "H-here, take this! You'll be-"

Undyne knocked the pie out of Frisk's hands. "I WON'T DIE!"

Undyne's body melted. "I WON'T-"

Undyne died.

Frisk could hear water rushing from the river nearby. He saw flower pollen drifting in front of him.

Something salty formed in Frisk's eyes.

… _Voice… I…_

 _I WAS STARTING TO TRUST YOU!_

The salty things started to drip down Frisk's face. _I'm sorry…_

 _Are you CRYING?! What the hell are you crying for?! You got exactly what you wanted!_

 _I…_

 _So stop whining, you crybaby!_

 _I…_

 _STOP CRYING, ASRIEL!_

 _H-huh?_

Voice went back to silence.

… _You know what the worst part is, human?_ Voice eventually asked. _It felt_ good. _It felt_ so good _. We gained 500 EXP from her. With just a single kill, we've been shot up all the way to LV 8. Our HP rose from 20 to 48, our ATK from 10 to 24, and our DEF from 10 to 11. Seeing these numbers rise… that feeling… it feels SO GOOD! But it's… insufficient. I want more! I_ need _more!_

 _Wh-what…? What's wrong with you?_

Voice laughed harshly _. AHAHAHA!_ _What's wrong with ME? What's wrong with YOU? YOU'RE the one who murdered her!_

 _I just… I just wanted to protect humanity…_

 _And she just wanted to protect monsters!_

Frisk sat down on the ground, and he hugged his knees. Voice was right. Before their fight, Frisk had asked Undyne who the 'real' bad guy was. It wasn't Frisk, but it wasn't Undyne, either. The battle they had fought wasn't a fight between good and evil. They were just two people both doing what they thought was right. It was still messed up that Undyne was going to let Asgore destroy humanity, but she did it because she loved her friends. She still deserved mercy.

… _Alright,_ Frisk said. _I… I won't let her die. I'm going to reset._

Somehow, that made Voice even angrier. _Yes, .just RESET all your sins away! Choices are so easy when you can take them all back, aren't they? It must be nice, being above consequences!_

 _U-umm…_ Well, she wasn't wrong…

 _Wh-why are YOU allowed to correct your mistakes?!_ Voice sounded like she was… crying. _Why are YOU able to bring back the people you've killed? Everyone else will forget, but I will NEVER forgive you, human! J-just like… just like how… A-Asriel would never forgive me, if h-he were s-still…_ She trailed off.

Frisk wished Voice had a body. She was in dire need of a hug. _H-hey… I don't know what happened, but if he was your friend, I'm sure he would forgive you._ _I'm sure you never meant for him to... get hurt._

Voice didn't say anything. Frisk wished he could at least see her face. Comforting someone without a body was not easy. _Umm… For whatever it's worth, I'm sorry for your loss. I know I can't replace Asriel, but… I can be your new friend! W-well… if you want…_

Voice remained silent.

 _Uh… I guess I should at least tell you my name! My name's Frisk!_

… _Frisk, huh? That's…. a nice name._

Frisk beamed. _Why, thank you! So…_

 _It's Chara._

 _Chara…? What a cute name!_

 _Wh-why you…! Ha… HAHAHA! Frisk… you're unlike any human I've ever met!_

 _Haha, thanks, I think?_ Frisk realized something. _Wait… you've… met other humans?_

 _What? Why is that…? Oh, haha! You think I'm a monster, don't you? Understandable, but incorrect._

Frisk was shocked. _Wait…you're a HUMAN? Like, an actual ghost?_

 _I'm as confused as you are, Frisk._

 _Th-then… were you… killed by Asgore?_

 _N-no… my death was my own fault. I was the first human to come here. Back then, the monsters welcomed me with open arms, even after everything humanity had done to them. I… I could not believe how… nice they were. The King and Queen took me in and raised me as their own child. I decided… that I would do anything for them._

Frisk slowly started to piece it together. Chara must have given up her life for the monsters she loved. Somehow, it led to the death of her friend, Asriel, which led to Asgore declaring war on humanity. Frisk began to understand the immense burden that Chara must have felt.

… _I'm sorry, Frisk,_ Chara told him. _I'm not ready to tell you everything, not yet. As for what you did to Undyne, I… I take back what I said. I will forgive you, on one condition._

Frisk was filled with relief. _Th-thank you, Chara! But, what's the condition?_

 _I want you to succeed where I failed. Find a way to free these monsters from their prison. Let them see the sun again._

Frisk's eyes widened. _Chara… I don't know if I can-_ No, Frisk could do it. He had to do it. Frisk smiled. _Yes, Chara! I will! Even if I have to give my life for it, the monsters will go free! I promise!_

Chara gasped. _H-human. I mean, Frisk… thank you._

With renewed determination, Frisk stood up. _Alright! Time to save all the monsters! First step: don't murder Undyne! Ready?_

 _P-please do, Frisk._ Chara sounded distressed. _Frisk… something IS wrong with me. I… still want more power. I want more EXP. I… I don't want to feel this way anymore._

Frisk frowned. _I'm so sorry, Chara. It won't happen again. I swear._

 _Please... Reset…_

Frisk closed his eyes and concentrated. He focused all his willpower and reached back in time. He thought of the moment he walked towards the spire where Undyne waited for him.

And they were back. Far up ahead, Frisk spotted Undyne climbing the crag that she would use to ambush them.

 _H-how are you feeling?_ Frisk nervously asked Chara.

 _A… bit better. Our EXP is back to zero. I can still feel the… hunger, but I believe it will dissipate with time._

Frisk made a reassuring smile. _Well, hang in there! I'll do it right this time, and we'll do it together!_

 _Y-yes. We'll… we'll do it together. I'll be with the whole way, Frisk._

 _Thank you, Chara._ Frisk was filled with confidence. With Chara by his side, he felt like he could handle anything that came their way.

In the distance, Frisk saw Undyne reach the peak of the spire. He walked towards her.

Yes, he would do it right this time. He wouldn't drain a single HP from her. Even if he couldn't talk her down, even if she would chase him throughout the entire underground, Frisk wasn't going to kill her. He was going to keep the promise he made to Chara. Together, they were going to prevent the war, AND they were going to help shatter the barrier. All the friends they had made were going to see the sun. Frisk was prepared to give his life, his soul, to make that happen.

Frisk looked straight up at Undyne.

 _The wind is howling. You're filled with determination._

* * *

 **The End. Thank you for reading!**


End file.
